The BYU defense made the plays it needed to all night and sealed the Cougars’ 24-23 win with a game-saving stop on a 2-point try from SMU from Jakob Robinson in the New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on Saturday night.

While BYU scored two unanswered touchdowns to go up 24-10 in the third quarter, SMU came galloping back in the fourth with two touchdowns of its own. The second SMU score came as quarterback Tanner Mordecai found receiver Jordan Kerley for a 12-yard scoring strike with eight seconds to play.

Despite the Mustang comeback, the Cougar defense was faced with one more chance to stop SMU as Mustang head coach Rhett Lashlee elected to keep his offense on the field for a 2-point conversion attempt. After a duel of timeouts, SMU sent Mordecai on a quarterback keeper and right into the expectant clutches of Robinson.

The BYU defensive back’s game-sealing stop helped the Cougars clinch an 8-5 record and finish the 2022 season on a four-game winning streak.

BYU’s defense set the tone, holding the normally prolific SMU attack to 389 total yards with 171 on the ground and 218 through the air. Ben Bywater led the way for the Cougar defense with 11 tackles (four solo) and an interception returned for a touchdown, a 75-yard pick-six that flipped the game in BYU's favor to give them a third-quarter lead. 

Pepe Tanuvasa pitched-in 10 tackles, Robinson a career-high nine and Kaleb Hayes eight. BYU also forced two sacks with one from John Nelson and one from Alden Tofa.

With quarterback Jaren Hall injured, third-year freshman Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters made his first-career collegiate start with at quarterback for the Cougars. The Hau’ula, Hawaii native, went 7-of-12 for 47 yards through the air with one interception while running for 96 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.

The BYU offense rushed for 209 yards with Christopher Brooks carrying the ball 19 times for 88 yards and a rushing score. Hinckley Ropati was handed the ball five times and picked up 29 yards. Isaac Rex led BYU in receiving yards with a solo 27-yard grab.

BYU kicker Jake Oldroyd finished the night 3-for-3 on extra point attempts to go along with a 31-yard field goal make. With his performance on Saturday, Oldroyd has posted 338 points in his career to become BYU's all-time scoring leader.

The New Mexico Bowl win concludes BYU's 12-year (2011-22) run as an FBS Independent with a record of 99-56. When BYU returns the field in the fall of 2023, the Cougars will begin a new era in the Big 12 Conference.